iiDENTIFii Argues COVID-19 is Creating More Demand for Contactless Biometrics

The South African facial recognition specialist iiDENTIFii is highlighting the utility of its touchless authentication solution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company notes that many public and private institutions in South Africa have suspended their use of contact-based biometric security systems since the country recorded its first positive COVID-19 diagnosis on March 5. The country now has 116 confirmed cases of the disease.

The decision to stop using shared biometric readers mirrors the response witnessed in other countries, where organizations like the NYPD have opted to forego fingerprint authentication in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. However, iiDENTIFii argues that organizations that stop using biometric security are exposing themselves to greater risk during a highly uncertain time. The company also claims there has been a greater demand for its contactless alternatives as organizations search for new ways to ensure the integrity of their systems.

“We believe that this pandemic, which has created a sudden need for social distancing, has fast tracked the consideration of remote digital authentication across the globe,” said iiDENTIFii Co-CEO Gur Geva.

iiDENTIFii believes that the coronavirus could spur a large scale technology transition and encourage more organizations to adopt contactless biometrics. In that regard, the company’s concerns about lax security echo those of Invixium, which also stressed the need for strong security and presented facial recognition as a safer option for organizations worried about the cleanliness of shared fingerprint scanners.

iiDENTIFii’s facial recognition solution can be integrated into any mobile platform, and its step-down technology can recognize people wearing surgical masks. While the company acknowledged that the coronavirus has generated more interest in its portfolio, it emphasized that it would not be abdicating its social responsibility during the pandemic. iiDENTIFii will be donating a portion of all profits to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation COVID-19 initiative to assist with global relief efforts.  

–

March 23, 2020 – by Eric Weiss